About

18 June 2005

It has been quite some time since last I posted a blog and the time has now come. As I write this blog, I sit in the parish office of my new home, St. Anthony of Padua parish in Effingham, Illinois. You can take a look at the parish's web site at www.stanthony.com.

After a two-week tour of the midwest through Illinois, Wisconsin, Michigan, Ohio, Kentucky, Indiana, Missouri, and back to Illinois attending the ordinations and first Masses of a number of classmates, I have now begun to move into my first assignment, claiming some office space in the rectory and my former suite (this was my internship parish). I cannot finish the move until the current parochial vicar leaves for his first pastorate in Calhoun County.

Life as a priest these first few weeks has been amazing! They have been filled with much tedious and boring driving, but also with many inspirational and profound moments, together with very good times spent with dear friends.

This weekend I will celebrate the weekend Masses at my deacon parish, Sacred Heart parish in Effingham, to give my thanks to God and to the parishioners for their support and prayers. Early next week I will make one more return to Quincy for about a week. I will be visiting with family and friends and baptizing a cousin. The final week of June I will part of Christian Leadership Institude with high school students and will return to St. Anthony's the evening before my assignment takes effect.

I am very happy to return to Effingham and look forward with great joy to serving the Lord God and his people at St. Anthony of Padua.